Shortly before becoming a household name on Friends, Matt LeBlanc co-starred in Guy Magar’s little-seen independent feature, Lookin’ Italian, which premiered just months before the sitcom debuted. Until Severin Films announced its Blu-ray release, the film had largely escaped my radar. My familiarity with Magar’s work was limited to his direct-to-video sequels, Stepfather III and Children of the Corn: Revelation, so expectations for this mid-1990s mafia drama were admittedly modest at best.
The story centers on Vinny Pallazzo (Jay Acovone), a mob associate who narrowly survives a shootout and decides to leave his criminal life behind. Relocating from New York to Los Angeles, Vinny seeks a quieter existence, taking a job at a used bookstore and keeping a watchful eye on his nephew, Anthony (Matt LeBlanc). Anthony, however, embraces a reckless lifestyle that clashes with his uncle’s newfound restraint. Despite securing Anthony a job at the bookstore, Vinny struggles to instill discipline in him, as Anthony routinely shows up late and prioritizes nightlife over responsibility.
Complicating matters is Vinny’s former boss, now also based in Los Angeles, who disapproves of Anthony’s diverse group of friends. While Vinny initially shares this skepticism, the narrative gradually softens his perspective, allowing him to recognize their loyalty and humanity.
Magar has described Lookin’ Italian as an homage to early Martin Scorsese crime films, but the execution is uneven. Broad, occasionally juvenile humor—reminiscent of early-1980s sex comedies—sits uneasily alongside darker elements, including urban violence and drive-by shootings. The tonal inconsistency suggests a filmmaker uncertain of the story’s identity. Nevertheless, the film retains a certain charm and, at times, captures the scrappy energy of 1990s independent cinema. It also features an early appearance by Denise Richards and music legend Lou Rawls also appears in supporting role.
Severin’s new 1080p transfer, scanned in 4K from the original camera negative, preserves the film’s gritty aesthetic—an approach that appears intentional given its Scorsese-inspired aspirations. The image quality is strong, maintaining texture and detail without compromising the film’s raw visual style. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track is serviceable, effectively supporting the dialogue-driven narrative, with sufficient clarity during the film’s sporadic bursts of gunfire. Supplemental features include “Directin’ Italian,” an interview with Guy Magar, archival cast interviews, and footage from the festival premiere Q&A.
For longtime fans of Matt LeBlanc, Lookin’ Italian offers an opportunity to revisit an early performance that hints at the charisma he would later bring to television audiences. While uneven, the film remains a noteworthy curiosity from both the actor’s career and the era’s independent filmmaking landscape.
Special Features:
- Directin’ Italian – Interview With Writer/Producer/Director Guy Magar
- Archival Interviews With Cast And Crew:
- Writer/Producer/Director Guy Magar
- Actor Jay Acovone
- Actor Matt LeBlanc
- Actress Stephanie Richards
- Actor Lou Rawls
- Actor John LaMotta
- Q&A With Writer/Producer/Director Guy Magar And Actors Jay Acovone, Matt LeBlanc, Stephanie Richards And Ralph Manza From The 1994 Palm Springs International Film Festival
- Inside Edition Exclusive Look
- Behind The Scenes
- Gag Reel
- Trailer
